Key ideas
The key ideas for Ethical Understanding are organised into three interrelated elements in the learning continuum as shown in the figure below.
Organising elements for Ethical Understanding
Understanding ethical concepts and issues
This element involves students developing an understanding of ethical concepts and issues.
Students learn to recognise ethical concepts and explore ethical issues in context. They identify, examine and give examples of ethical concepts. They discuss, analyse and explore dimensions of ethical concepts in context. In developing and acting with ethical understanding, students:
- recognise ethical concepts
- explore ethical concepts in context.
Reasoning in decision-making and actions
This element involves students reasoning when making decisions and acting ethically.
Students consider the consequences of and reflect on ethical action. They analyse the reasoning behind stances when making ethical decisions and evaluate the intended and unintended consequences of actions in an increasing range of scenarios. Students articulate understandings of a range of ethical responses in social contexts. In developing and acting with ethical understanding, students:
- reason and make ethical decisions
- consider consequences
- reflect on ethical action.
Exploring values, rights and responsibilities
This element involves students identifying and examining values and exploring rights and responsibilities of individuals and groups in a range of contexts and practices.
Students use instances of expressed values to explain social interactions and to determine rights and responsibilities in social and legal domains. They recognise and interpret points of view in ethical contexts. In developing and acting with ethical understanding, students:
- examine values
- explore rights and responsibilities
- consider points of view.